Fluid pressure remote control system



vOd 20, 1942- E. c. s. cLENcH 2,299,211

FLUID PESSURE IREMOTE CONTROL `SYSTEM Fild May '7, 1940 4 sheets-smet 1 i? l/ l iff/ iff yf/5155 j, M. ffl

l, l u il .1 f.

lFLUID PRESSURE REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM Filed May 7, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 7&9 v

mm 'u 'm i l .TMve/vrou Oct- 20, 1942 E. c. s. cLENcH FLUlD PRESSURE REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM 4 sheets-sheet 3 yFiled May 7,. 1940 I ff /ff ff 4,0/3?

Oct. 2o, 1942. E, C, s GLEN@ 2,299,211

FLUID PRESSURE REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM 'Filed May 7, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented oct. 2o, 19412v UNiTI-:D i STATE I FLUID PRESSURE REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM Edward Claude Shakespeare Clench,y London,

England, assigner to Automotive Products Company Limited, London, England Application May 7, 1940, serial No. 333,339 In Great Britain May 11, 1939 19 claims. (c1. 121-38) This invention relates to uid pressure remote control systems, and it has for its primary object to provide an improved form of system having a preselector action. The system is particularly applicable for operating the governors of aircraft and other engines, especially governors which are used in conjunction with variable pitch propellers.

It is'a further object of the invention to provide an improved fluid pressure remote control system, conveniently operated by pressure liquid, which system embodies one or more motor units which are arranged to take up any one of three or more definite positions when fed with an unrestricted supply of pressure fluid, the particular position assumed by the motor unit depending upon which of a plurality of connections vis or are supplied with the said pressure iiuid. The term "unrestricted is intended to mean that the supply of pressure fluid is not cut off when the motor unit reaches its desired setting or position, as occurs in some uid pressure remote control systems, but in the present invention the motor unit is automatically arrested when the desired position is reached, despite the fact that the supply Vof pressure fluid is maintained. By fuid is meant either a liquid or gaseous operating medium. A still further object of the invention consists in the provision of an improved construction of motor unit.

According to the invention a motor unitis provided for a iiuid pressureremote control system, said unit comprising in combination a cylinder having a pressure uid connection at each end a main piston having a piston rod extending through one end of said cylinder, a sleeve member telescopcally slidable/relative to the cylinder and the main' piston, its movement relative to the main piston being limited by a projection on thel sleeve member, a hollow stop member slidable in the opposite end Dart of the cylinder, its end nearest the main piston containing a member movable as one with the said main piston, and a main coiled compression spring urging the sleeve member in an axial direction away from the said one end of the cylinder,` the arrangement being such that when pressure fiuid is fed to onlyone of the pressure fluid connections it causes the main piston to assume its extreme position nearest the opposite end of the cylinder; when no pressure liquid is fed to either of said end' connections the main coiled spring' urges the mainpiston to one intermediate position;

ously the main piston is urged to another intermediate position.

The invention is illustrated by Way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 to 4 are sectional side elevations of `form of control valve device for use with the motor unit shown in Figures 1 to 4;

Figure 6 is a plan corresponding to Figure 5; Figure 7 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on theline 1-1 of Figure 6;

'Figure 8 is a general view of a modified form l of remote control system with the control valve device and the motor unit shown in section;

Figures 9' to 11 are sectional views of the motor unit shown in Figure 'l but with the parts vin their and when pressure duid is led to both end connections simultane-- alternative operating positions; and

Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional elevation,

of an adjusting device for use in connection with the motor unit shown in Figures 8 to 1l.

The two general forms of system shown in the drawings are both primarily intended for use in conjunction with a lconstant speed governor of a variable pitch aircraft propeller. The motor unit is provided to enable the governor to be adjusted p remotely from the pilots cabin of the aircraft and is arranged so that bycausing the motor unit to assume any one of a predetermined number of settings the governor and consequently the approximate pitch of the airscrew is correspondingly regulated. In the normal governor installation for which the present remote control sys' tems have been designed provision is made for four distinct positions or settings. `The rst, in which the piston rod ofthe motor unit is extended as far as possible, causes the propeller to have an exceptionally coarse pitch; the second corresponds to the pitch required for cruising; the third position is used more especially when the aircraft is climbing; and the fourth position. in which the piston rod is retracted to its maximum extent, corresponds With the pitch required when the aircraft is taking-ofi. The actual form and construction of the governor constitute no part of the present invention and therefore need not be described.

Referring IStly to' Figures l to 4, the motor unit is indicated generally at 2f) and is connected by a pair ol pipelines 2l and 22 with a valve device indicated generally at '23. The requisite liquid pressure is derived from la continuously driven engine pump 24, which of course would be equipped with suitablel cut-out mechanism (not shown)` lfor reducing the load on the pump when nov pressure liquid is required by the system, the

inlet connection `25 oi said pump 24 being connected with a reservoir 26 from which the system i is replenished. The inlet 25'is also vconnected with a pair of valves 21 and 28 leading to'the .i pipelines 2| and 22 respective1y,'while thelatter are joined to the outlet 3| of the pump 24 by a further pair of valves'294 and 38. respectively.

The valves 21-,38 are operated by a single control member, las will be hereinafter described Vwith reference to Figures 5 to 1, said control member having fouroperativepositions corresponding to l those mentioned above and being arranged so that when t'is placed in any o ne of said positions the valves are actuated to cause a piston rod 32 to assume its'corresponding position automatically. As shown in Figure 1, Ythe valves 21 and 38 are ol and the valves- 28 and 29 are on. so that the pipeline 2l' is connected with the pressure source comprising the pump outlet 3 I, while thev pipeline 22 is in communication with the pump inlet 25 and the reservoir 26. i

'I'he motor unit 28 comprises a cylinder 33 havs ing a frontA end wall 34 through which the piston rod 32 passes slidably. At its opposite end the cylinder 33 is iltted, for convenience in manufacture, with a xed stop member. 35, 4which is axially bored and is secured in position by a nut Y 36, packing washers 31, 38 and 6| being provided to prevent leakage of liquid. A hollow'. cap nut '39 issecured to the projecting part of the fixed stop member 35 and accommodates the rear end of a hollow stopmember 48, the latter being provided with a packing 4I co-acting .with the Ain,

" terior ofthe said `lixed stop member 35, while a piston-like enlargement 42, also provided with apacking, slidesv within an enlarged .bore 43 of the xed stop'member 35. The -extent of this sliding movement in; a forward direction (Le, towards the left)` is limited by an, adjusting nut 44 which is secured in position upon the hollow and. 58 respectively. These packings are arranged so that the friction afforded by the packing 58 is greater than that of the packing 51, thus causing the tubular stop member 56 to` adhere to the cylinder 33 rather than tol the sleeve member 58 when the saidsleeve member 58 is moving in. an axial direction. The tubular stop member 56 has a rearward extension 59 which is slidable within the bore 43 of the fixed stop member 35, a packing 68 being provided for preventing leakage.

l The'pipeline 2| leads into a connection 62 at the rear of the cylinder 33 and thisv communi- -catesbyqway of. holes 63 in the ilxed stop member 35 with a.working,space 64 behind rthe piston-like enlargement 42 of the hollow stop member 48. The latter is also formed with holes indicated at 65, whereby the pressure of the liquid in the working space 64 can act upon the rear end surface 66 oi the plunger 41. The space 61 between the parts 46 and 41 on the one hand'and the parts 58 and 59 is connected lwith the atmosphere by way of a passage indicated at 68. A working space 69 between Vthe front end of the fixed stopmember and the tubular stop membei' 56 communicates by wayof a connection 18 and a pipeline' 1| (see Eigure 2) with apump.

r unit 12, whereby pressure liquid can be forced into the space 69v for adjusting the second or cruise position, as will be hereinafter described. l

At th front end of the cylinder 33 another connection 13is provided and is arranged torplace the pipeline 22 into communication with a working space 14 within whichlthe springs 52 and 54 are disposed. As the llange 55 has considerable clearancejwithin the cylinder 33,-anylpressure existingin the working space 14 is present also. within the'space 15 between the ange 55 and the tubular stop member 56.

In Figure 1 the parts are shown in the positions which they occupy in order that the piston rod 32 may assume'its first position, namely that this purpose the control valve device'23 is set so as to supply pressure liquid to the pipeline 2| and thus to the connection 62, the said pressure liquid being permitted to act upon the rear-surface 66 stop member 48 by a lock" nut 45. At its front l end the. hollow stop member 48 has a tubular extension 46 within which a plunger 41 is slidably iltted, the front vend of said plunger being arranged to co-operate with a main piston member 48 Aiormed in one withthe piston rod 32. The main f* piston 4s is provided with a packing 49 and is slidable within the bore of a sleeve member 58,

Qrelative axial movement between these parts in one sense being limited by-an inward projection 5| carried by the sleeve member 58, said projection conveniently comprising a wire ring tting projection 5| owing to the action of an auxiliary coiled compression ,spring 52, which at one end bears against the sleeve member 58 and at its in which itis extended as far as possible. For

of the plunger 41 so as to move the latter as far as possible in a forward direction. The plunger 41, of course, pushes upon the main piston 48 and this, by engagement with the projection 5|,

urg'es the sleeve member 58 in a forward direction, I

the force exerted bythe plunger 41 being sumcient to compress the -main spring 54 until aA shoulder 16 upon the piston rod 32 engages with the end wall 34 ofthe cylinder 33. At the same 1 time, of course, the pressure liquid is acting upon into a groove in said sleeve member 58. The 1 main piston 48 is urged into engagement with the otherend engages-within Aa recessed flange or N washer 53 'attached to the piston rodv 32. The

sleeve member 58 is, moreover, urged in a rearward direction by a relatively strong main compression spring 54 which operates betweenthe inside of the end wall 34 and a ange 55 formed` upon the sleeve member 58, the main spring 54 thus being capable'q-urging the main piston 48 y in a rearward direction owing to the projection 5|. 'I'he rear end of the sleeve member 58 fits slidably into a. tubular stop member 56, which latter is slidable within thecylinder 33 and is l provided with internal and external packings 51 ber 58 so that its vflange 5 5 engages with the front the piston-like enlargement 42 ofthe hollow stop `member 48, but this has no effect on account of Athe adjusting nut 44. The spaces 1.4 and 15 are,

of course, open to the reservoir 26.

'I'he second or cruise Vposition of the piston rod 32 ls shown in Figure 2, and this is brought about by placing both of the pipelines 2|, and 22 v into communication with the reservoir 26, no pressure liquid whatever being-fed to the motor unit28 from the pump 24'. Thus the main spring 54 is free to expand and it forces thesleeve memcidentally the usual spring of the customary form of governor (not shown) also acts to create tension in the piston rod 32 and so helps to hold the main piston member I8 against the projection Provision is made for nally adjusting the piston rod 32 when the'system is set to the condition shown in Figure 2 and this is eiected by operating the pump unit 12 so as to inject a limited and predetermined quantity of pressure liquid into the working space $9. It willbe seen that this causes the tubular stop member 56 to be moved forwards and thus correspondingly shifts the position occupied by the piston rod 32. The latter, as shown in Figure 2, is at the rearmost end of this range of adjustment, which adjustment, of course, can readily be eiected vby the pilot during flight, the pump unit 12 being disposed in the cabin of the aircraft.

To bring the piston rod 32 tothe third position, as indicated in Figure 3, the control valve device 23 is operated as shown, so that pressure liquid is supplied simultaneously to both pipelines 2| and 22. When this occurs the liquid from the pipeline 22 acts upon the front annular face of the main piston member 48 and also uponthe i shoulder 16 so as to force said main piston member 48 against the tubularextension 48 of the hollow stop member 40, the auxiliary coiled compression spring 52 becoming slightly compressed. At the same time pressure liquid from the pipeline 2| is acting upon the rear surface of the piston-like enlargement 42 of the hollow stop member 40, thus holding the adjusting nut-44 in rm engagement with a shoulder 18 upon the iixed stop member 35. The eiective cross-sectional area of the working space '64 is such that with equal pressure in the pipelines 2| and 22 the force exerted upon the piston-like enlargement 42 is decidedly greater than that exerted in the opposite direction upon the main piston 48 and the shoulder 16. It will thus be seen that the position occupied by the piston rod 32 is determined primarily by the adjusting nut 44, and this enables the third position of the piston rod 32 to beregulated at will during installation, the adjustment being secured by the lock nut 45, while the replacement of the cap nutv 39 protects the movable parts `40, 44 and 45 from injury.

The fourth position of the piston rod 32 `is depicted in Figure 4 and is brought about by arranging the control valve device 23 so that it delivers pressure liquid only into the pipeline 22, the pipeline 2| being connected with the reservoir 25. It will be seen that the conditions are substantiallythe same as inthe previous posi'- tion, but thewithdrawal of pressure from the rear surface of the piston-like enlargement 42 of the hollow stop member 40 enables the force exerted upon the main piston member 48 and the shoulder 16 to shift the said hollow stop member 40 bodily to the right until the piston-like enlargement 42 engages with a shoulder 19 formed inside the hollow stop member 40 at the rear end of the bore 43. During this movement, of course, the auxiliary spring 52 is further compressed.

A convenient construction of control valve device 23 suitable for the arrangement of motor unit in Figures l to 4 is shown in Figures 5 to '1. It comprises a body 80 having at its lower part ahcavity 8| with a connection 82 leading to the reservoir 26 of the system (see Figure l). The upper part of the body 80 is somewhat V-shaped, one limb 83 -being arranged to house the two pressure valves 29 and 30 (see Figures l and 6) and the other limb 84 similarly accommodating the return valves 21 and 28. The two pressure valves are of similar construction, as also are the return valves, and one of each is shown in Figure '7. The pressure valve 29 comprises a guide member which fits snugly into a bore 86 formed in the v body 80, said guide member being grooved for the reception of packing rings 81, 88 and 89 and having a longitudinal bore 90 accommodating a ball 9| which is urged on to its seating by a spring 92. A push rod 93 passing through a packing gland 94 is adapted to lift the ball Si off its seating and is operated by a cam 96 secured to a spindle 95 extending through the cavity 8|. The spindle 95 carries in addition other cams 91, 98 and .99, which operate respectively the valves 21, 38 and 28. The cams are connected with the spindle 95 by a key |90 and said spindle is tted with a knob ||1| formed with a pointer |02 which is adapted to be turned to any one or four positions corresponding with the four positions of the slave unit. As the iirst position, which brings the governor to itr coarse setting, is' very rarely, if ever, required during normal flying, the pointer i02 is prevented from being turned to this position by a pair of stops, oneof which is indicated at H13.v The knob 18|, which carries an auxiliary spindle |04 pressed inwards by a spring |05, can, however, be pulled outwards vagainst the in'uence of said spring so as to enable the pointer |02 to assume a position between the' stops |93. A packing |08 prevents leakage of liquid from the cavity 8|, while the spindle 95 is resiliently located in each of its four positions by the provision of a notched cam disc |01, the periphery of which is engaged by a spring-pressed ball |08. The cams 96-99 are, of course, shaped so that for each position of the knob |0| the appropriate valves 21, .28, 29 and 30 are open. vliteverting to Figure 7, the body 80 is formed with a connection |09 for the reception of the pipeline 2|, while a similar connection I0 is coupled to the pipeline 22. 'I'he connection |09 leads to an annular space and this in turn' communicates with the underneath of` the ball 9| by radial passages as shown, and also by a passageway |20 with an annular space ||2 in the valve 21. Another annular space H3 communicating with the space above the ball 9| leads by way of a passage ||4 to a connection |15, to which the pump delivery 3| is joined. A passage ||5 leads from the annular space ||3 of the valve 29 to the corresponding space of the valve 39. Thus when the ball 9| is lifted off its seat by the cam 96 pressure liquid is able to pass through the passage |14, past' the ball 9| and thence to the pipeline 2|. The valve 21 (and also the valve 28) also has a bali indicated at 1, which is'urged closed by a sprintr and is adapted to be lifted off its seat by a push rod H8 fitting loosely within a bore formed in the guide member i9 of the valve 21. The annular space H2 communicates with the space 4 above the ball H1 so that when the latter is lifted o' its seating the pipeline 2| is placed in lcornmunication withv the reservoir by way, of the clearance space around the push rod i8 and the connection 82.

A modied form of liquid pressure remote control system is shown diagrammatically in Figure 8, and in this case the motor unit 29 is supplied with pressure liquid from a hydraulic accumulator |2| arranged to be charged as required from a reservoir 26 by means of a hand pump |22. The control valve device, again indicated at 23, has a. set of four push buttons |23, |24, |25 and |26, these corresponding to the four possible positions which the piston rod 32 of the motor unit 2l can be caused to assume automatically. In 'this example the motor unit 20 is provided with three connections 13, |21 and 62, which are coupled with the control valve device 23 by pipelines |28, |29 and |30 respectively. The pressure liquid 1 from the accumulator |2| enters the control valve device 23 through a connection |3|, 4while a branched connection |32 leads back to the reservoir 26.

'Ihe motor unit 20 comprises a cylinder 33 having three distinct bores, namely an intermediate diameter bore |33 at itsforward end, behind which isa large. diameter bore |34 and then a small diameterl bore |35. \The. front wall 34 of -the cylinder vis again arranged for the slidable i reception of the piston rod 432y and the latter is formed at its rear end with a main piston member 40 having a rearward extension |36. `As inthe previous example, the main piston member 48 is slldably mounted in a sleeve member 50 having an inward projection in the form of a flange. Upon its exterior the sleeve member 50 has a smaller collar |31 provided with a packing and sliding within the bore |33, while its rear extremity carriesv a larger collar |30 having a packing and adapted to slide within the-bore |34. A hollow stop member 40 is formed with a pistonlike enlargement 42 sliding within the bore |35 and provided with packing to prevent leakage.-

' ber 40 as before and has a cup-shaped front portion |44 arranged to embrace the extension |36 of the main piston member 40. A main compression spring 54 acts between the end wall 34 of the cylinder and the smaller collarA |31 of the sleeve member' 50 so as to urge the latter in a rearward direction towards an abutment stop |45 upon the cylinder 33.

The connection 13 leads-into the working space 14 in front of the main piston member 43 and ,the collar |31, while'the connection |21 communicates with a working space |46 between the two collars |31.and |38. The space 61, bounded principally by the sleeve member 50 and the hollow stop member 40, is in permanent communication with the atmosphereby way lof the passage 68, while the connection 62 at the rear of the cylinder 33 leads into a working space |41, and

tion, shown in Figure 9, vpressure `liquid. is admitted simultaneously to the two connections 62 and |21. The pressure liquid passing through the connection 62 acts the same as for the rst position, namely it forces the plunger 41 forwardly.

On the'other hand the pressure liquid entering the working space |46 through the connection |21 urges the sleeve member 50 rearwardly until it engages with the abutment |45, this being due to the fact that the pressure acting upon the larger collar`|38 is decidedly greater than that acting upon the smaller co1lar.|31; the diierence between these two pressures should in fact be 'greater than the total pressure acting upon the surface 66 of the plunger 41 in order to prevent position, pressure liquid entering the/'connection 62 acts upon the rear surface 66 ofthe plunger 41 so as to urge the latter in a forward direction, and at the same time the pressure'I liquid which is present within the working spa'c- |41 acts upon the piston-like enlargement 42 of the hollow stop member so as to maintainvthe flange |39 in rm engagement with the enlargement |42. The admission, however, of pressure liquid through the connection 13 causes the main piston member 48 to be urged rearwardly, and as the 'area of the annular surface l|50 of said main piston is greater than the area of the surface 66 of the plunger 41, the latter is pushedrearwardly until its front yportion |44 engages with the front part -of the hollow stop member 40. The combined effective areas of the end surface 66 of the` plunger 41 and the corresponding surface of the hollow stop member 40, i'. .e., the total area which is acted upon by the pressure liquid entering through the connection 62, is greater than the area of the surface |50 and therefore when the f front portion |44 ofthe plunger 41 is brought into engagement with the hollow stop member 40 further movement of the main piston member 48 'is arrested and the piston rod 32 remains in the position shown in Figure l0. The admission of also to the interior |48 of the-hollow stop member 40 by way of a passage"|49 formed in the In order to causethe piston rod 32 to assume its first position, i. e., its fully extended position To bring the piston rod 32 to its second posi- 75 pressure liquid to the working space |46 through the connection |21 merely forces the sleeve member 50 against the abutment |45 and has n o effect upon the main piston 48.

'I'he fourth position of the piston rod 32, as shown inv Figure 11, is obtained by admitting pressure liquid only through the front` connection 13. This exerts .a rearward force upon the main piston member 46, which in turn pushes the plunger 41 as far as possible into the hollow stop member 40, the latter being thereby pressed rearwardly until its ange |39 engages with the yend wall 4| of the cylinder 33. It will be appre- 'ciated that the motor unit in Figures y8 to ll is yshown diagrammatical1y;' in its constructional form means can readily be incorporated whereby the position occupied by the piston rod 32 in its second and third positions (Figures 9 and 10 respectively) may beprecisely adjusted during installation and an arrangement Suitable for this purpose isA shown in Figure 1 2. 'Ihis is a fragmentary sectional elevation representingthe rear part of the cylinder 33. The end wall |4| is plunger members |58, |53 and |66.

formed separately from the cylinder itself and it is tted with an abutment stop member/ |45 screw-threaded into position so as to be capable of being adjusted in an axial direction. A packing ring prevents leakage of liquid and the desired adjustment is maintained by a lock nut |52 and a cap nut |53. By shifting the abutment stop |45 in an axial direction the extent to which the sleeve member 50 is permitted to move rearwards is modified and thus alters the second working position occupied by the piston rod 32. The spigot |40 is in turn screw-threaded within the abutment stop |45, thus enabling it also to be adjusted axially, the setting being preserved by a lock nut |56. The adjustment of the spigot |40 determines the third position of the piston rod 32, as will b readily apparent from Figure 10.

The main spring 54 in the arrangement shown n Figures 8 to ll urges the sleeve member 50 against the abutment stop |45, so that if the pressure liquid should fail the piston rod 32 will be prevented from assuming the rst position, which normally corresponds to the coarse setting of the propeller. A frictional ratchet device indicated at |55 in Figures 8 to l1 acts to prevent forward movement of the main piston 48 relative to the sleeve member 50 except when said main piston 48 is pushed by the plunger 41. In the latter circumstances the cup-shaped front portion |44 releases the balls of the frictional ratchet device, and it will be seen, therefore, that this also tends to retain the piston rod 32 in a partly or completely retracted position in the Went of a failure of the pressure liquidthus preventing said piston rod wfrom being moved to its nrst position owing to the action of the usual spring of the governor (not shown).

The control valve device 23 included in Figure 8 comprises a body |56 formed at its front part with a cavity |51, its rear part having three mutually parallel bores for the reception of slidable Each of these is provided with packing washers |6I, as shown,

for preventing leakage of liquid and is adapted y to operate mechanically two ball valves, these being indicated at |62, 263; |64, |65; and |66, |61. Each is spring-urged to close on its seating in a direction towards the particular plunger member by which it is actuated. For operating the valves each plunger member |58|60 is formed with two waist portions |68 terminating at one end in a frusto-conical part |69 adapted to act as a cam surface in conjunction with a ball |13 so that when said ball rides up the cam surface |69 it forces the corresponding valve member |62|61 off its seating. On the other hand, when the waist portion |68 is brought opposite the ball |10 the corresponding valve member is permitted to close. Each of the plunger members ISS-|60 has twov operative positions, and it is held resiliently in both of these by a springpressed ball |1i adapted to engage with either of two grooves |12 so as to prevent the plunger mem- 113er from being displaced, for example by vibra- The push buttons |23| 26 are slidably mounted in the front Wall |13 of the body |56, and each has a projection |14 arranged to be engaged by a chain or like flexible member |15. The ends of this member are anchored at |16 and |11, and between the push buttons |23-|26 said. chain or equivalent passes around pins |18, but the length of the chain or equivalentI is such that only one push button can be depressed at a time. and the pushing in of a second button automatically causes the first to be restored to its out position., The push button |23 is fastened to or formed integrally with the plunger membery |58, which has a lateral projection |16 adapted to engage with a similar projection |80 upon the forward part of the plunger member |59. The latter is, however, separated from its push button |24 at |8|, and is formed with a groove |82 engaged by a rocking lever |83 pivoted at its centre to the push button |25. The opposite end of said lever |83 engages a similar groove |84 formed in the plunger member and this member is also separated from its corresponding push button |2 as indicated at |65.

The various connections are clearly shown in Figure 8, the pipeline |32 from the reservoir 26 being in permanent connection with the foremost Waist portions |86, |81 and |88 of the three plunger members. When the push button |23 is operated to bring the piston rod 32 to its first position, as shown in Figure 8, it moves the two plunger members |55 and |56 to their rearmost positions, owing to the lateral projections |19 and |80. allow pressure liquid to ow through the pipeline |29 to the connection'62 of the slave cylinder, while valve members |62 and |61 are also open so as to place the pipelines |28 and |30 in communication with the reservoir 26, the other valve members being closed. By depressing push button |24 the push button |23, and its plunger member |56 are returned to their foremost positions, thus leaving the plunger member |50 in its rearmost position. In' this way valve members and |63 are opened, thus allowing the pressure liquid from the pipeline |3| to -ow to pipelines |28 and |25. A nected with the reservoir, owing to the fact that the valve member |61 is open, the remainder of the valve members .being closed. Depression of the push button |25 to bring the piston rod 32 to its third position actuates the rocking lever |63, thus moving both of the plunger members |59 and |60 to their rearmost positions. In these conditions the valves |63, |65 and |66 are all open and permit the pressure liquid from the pipeline |3| to iiow into all three connections 13, |21 and 62 of the motor unit, thus bringing the various parts of the latter to the positions shown in Figure 10. The reservoir 26 in this case is isolated completely from the motor unit, as the valves |62, |64.and |61 are all closed. The supply of pressure liquid is directed to the connection 13 of the motor unit to bring the piston rod 32 to its fourth position by depressing the push button |26.` This,

vof course, restores the push button |25 (assuming that this was the pushbutton previously operated) and the rocking lever |63 has the action .of restoring the plunger member |59 toits forward position, so that, with only the plunger member |60 in its rearmost position, the valve |66 is open and permits the pressure liquid to now into the pipeline |30. The pressure liquid is otherwise cut off, as the valves |65 and |61 are both closed, although the valves |63 and |64 are open and thus place the pipelines |28 and |29 into communication with the reservoir 26.

It will be appreciated that the above is given merely as an example of the manner in which the invention may be carried into effect and that numerous modications are possible.

The invention may, of course, be applied for any remote controlling operation, and it will be appreciated that the arrangements described are' The third pipeline |30 is conafor the purpose described.

suitable for operation by pressure iluidwhich may be either a gas or a liquid.

What I claim is: l. For a fluid pressure remote control system,

a motor comprising in combination a' cylinder vhaving a pressure iluid connection at each end,

a main piston having a piston rod extending through one end of said cylinder, a sleeve mem'- ber telescopically slidable relative to the cylinder able in the opposite end part of the cylinder, its end nearest the main piston containing a member movable as onevwith the said main piston,

and a main coiled compression spring urging thesleeve member in an axial direction away from the said one end of the cylinder, the arrangement being such that when pressure fluid is fed to only one oi the pressure uid connections it causes the main piston to assume its extreme position nearest the opposite end of the cylinder; when no pressure liquid is fed -to either of said end connections the main coiled spring urges the main piston to one intermediate position; and, when pressure fluid is fed to both vend connections simultaneously the main piston is urged to another intermediate position.

2. A motor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hollow stop member has its end part slidable axially through that end wall 'of the cylinder opposite to the piston rod.

3. A motor as claimedin claim 1,'-wherein a tubular stop member is interposed between the sleeve member and the cylinder so as to act as a piston, a working space'being provided between said tubular stop member and the end of. the

cylinder so that pressure liquid injected into said space from a source of pressure fluid serves to change the position of said tubular stop member .and correspondingly adjust the intermediate position of the main pistong.

ber and correspondingly adjust the intermediate position,y of the main piston, and wherein the v tubular stop member carries external and internal packings for co-operation with the cylinder and the sleeve member respectively, the packing which' engages the cylinder being arranged to have a greater working friction than the other,

5. -A motor as claimed in' claim 1, wherein the hollow stop member is provided with a screwthreaded nut or equivalent which serves to regulate the sliding'movement of ,said hollow stop member relative to the cylinder and thus to adjust one of the intermediate 4positions of the main piston.

6. A motor as claimed in claim 1, wherein an auxiliary coiledcompression spring acts between the main piston and the sleeve member to maintain the main piston in engagement with the projection upon the sleevev member.

v'7. A motor as claimed in'claim 1, wherein the hollow stop member contains .a plunger which abuts axially against tne main piston so as to the said main piston in its second intermediate piston to avoid binding of lthe members ldue to any inaccuracy in the alignment'of the engaging parts thereof. l

8. A motor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hollow stop member is arranged to slide in a uid-tight manner within the cylinder, and the space disposed between the outside of said hollow stop member and the interior of the sleeve mem. ber is in communication with the atmosphere, so that the hollow stop member is urged by the pressure iluid to voppose movement of the main piston under the action of pressure uid admitted to the opposite end of the cylinder and thus locates position.

9. A motor as claimed in claim l, wherein a frictional ratchet device is provided between the `main piston and the sleeve member, said ratchet the main part of the piston member, a stop onmove as one therewith, saidplunger, however, be-

device being arranged to prevent movement of the main piston towards the projection on the -sleeve member, but beingreleased by movement of f the plunger in a direction towards the main piston.v

10. For a iluid pressure remote control system,

,the piston member slides, the outside of -the hollow stop member being larger in diameter than the cylinder adapted to.be engaged by the hollow stop member to arrest the piston member in a position intermediate the' ends of its stroke when pressure uid is fed simultaneously to.both ends of the cylinder, an abutment stop on the cylinder,

and a sleeve member which is slidably interposed between the main part oi the piston member and the cylinder, and is urged towards the said hollow stop member, a projection carried by the sleeve member being adapted to engage .with the main part'of the piston member so that as said sleeve member engages with the said abutment stop on the cylinder the piston member is brought to a predetermined fourth'positionA lying between onel with screw threaded adjusting means enabling" l its operative position within the cylinder to be regulated from the outside of the motor cylinder unit.

13. A fluid pressure remote control system A comprising in combination a source* of pressure iluid, a motor cylinder unit having aiplurality of connections for receiving pressure uid, and a valve device for feeding the pressure fluid simul' taneously` to a plurality of the saidcylinder connections, the motor cylinder unit comprising a cylinder, a plurality of connections for pressure uid leading thereto, a piston member in said cylinder, said piston member comprising a main part and asmaller diameterplunger part, a hollow stop member within which the said plunger part ofthe piston member slides, the outside of the hollow stop member being larger in diameterthan the main part of the piston member,

a stop on the cylinder adapted to be engaged by the hollow stop member to arrest the piston member in a positionintermediate the ends of its stroke when pressure fluid is fed simultaneously to both ends of the cylinder, an abutment stop on the cylinder, and a sleeve member which face oi substantially dierent extent and spring biased in relation thereto; whereby said main piston may be caused -to assume any one of at is slidably interposed between the main part of the piston member and the cylinder, and is urged towards the said hollow stopmember, a projection carried by the sleeve member being adapted to engage with the main part ci the piston member so that as said sleeve member engages with the said abutment stop on the cylinder the piston member is brought to a predetermined fourth position lying between one end position and the said intermediate position.

14. A uid pressure remote control system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the valve device comprises a set ot individual valves, connecting passages between said valves and the motor cyl-f inder unit, and a rotatable cam device having a plurality of operational settings, said cam device being arranged to open a plurality of said valves simultaneously and permit the pressure fluid to flow through the corresponding connecting passages to the connections of the motor cylinder unit, whereby the-piston member of said unit is moved to a position corresponding to the setting of the rotatable cam device..

15. A iluid pressure remote control system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the valve device comprises a plurality of valves interposedbetween the source of pressure iluid, a plurality of push buttons each corresponding to one position of the piston member of the motor vcylinder unit, interlocking means for preventing more than one of the push buttons from being actuated at the same time, at least one of the push buttons being arranged to open a plurality of said valves so that, when it is actuated. pressure -iluid is fed simultaneously to a plurality of the connections of the motor cylinder unit.

16. In a Afluid pressure ,remote control system,

a motor comprising a cylinder, a plurality oi operating members disposed therein for movement longitudinally thereof including a main piston and a plurality of auxiliary members coacting with said cylinder, with said piston and with each other to act as stops for said piston in' responseto duid pressure thereon, and a plurality of connecting means for admitting nuid under pressure to said cylinder to act on pressure responsive races of said operating members, at least one of said connecting means admitting iluid under pressure to act on pressure responsive faces oi at least two of said operating members one of which is'opposed by one or said operating members supplied by another ot said connecting means having a pressure response least three positions by selective application of unrestricted pressure through no more than two of said connecting means.

17. A motor as claimed inclaim 16 wherein at least one of the said auxiliary members is telescopicaliy interposed between the main piston and the cylinder.

18. In a fluid pressure remote control system, a motor comprising a cylinder, a plurality of operating members `disposed therein for movement longitudinally thereof including a main piston and a plurality of auxiliary members coacting with said cylinder, with said piston and with each other to act as stops for said piston in response to fluid pressure thereon and connecting means for admitting a iiuid under pressure to pressure responsive faces of said operating members; and means to operate said motor comprising a main source of iluid under pressure, a discharge outlety and means for substan- .tially simultaneously connecting each of at least two of said connecting means selectively to either of said source of :duid and said discharge outlet,

a. master cylinder unit separate from the main source of pressure fluid, anda connection from said master cylinderunit to one oi the connecting means of the motor unit, whereby operation of the master cylinder unit serves to ad- 4 just one of the stops hydraulically to any desired position within predetermined limits.

19. In a fluid pressure remote control system, a motor comprising a cylinder, a plurality of operating members disposed therein for movement .ing means for admitting a uid under pressure to pressure responsive faces of said operating members; and means to operate said motor comprising a main sourde of iiuid under pressure, a discharge outlet and a valve device comprising a plurality ofk valves. interposed between the source oi' pressure fluid, a. plurality'of push but. tons each corresponding to one position oi.' the piston member of the motor cylinder unit, interlocking means for preventing more than one of the push buttons from being actuated at the same time, at least one oi.' the push buttons being arranged to open a plurality of said valves so that, when it is actuated, pressure uid is fed simultaneously to a plurality of the connections or the motor cylinder unit.

EDWARD CLAUDE SHAKESPEARE CLENCH. 

